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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 22, 2003

Introduction of CAPT James Lovell as a spokesman for the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund

CHICAGO--- Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn was joined by Capt. James A. Lovell, Jr.—pioneer on man’s maiden voyage to the moon on Apollo 8 and the world-watched Apollo 13 lunar mission—as Capt. Lovell re-enacts his famous 1968 Christmas Eve Broadcast to Earth with the help of two young Chicago natives who will play the part of the two other crewmen on Apollo 8.The re-enactment, composed of excerpts from the Bible’s first book – Genesis, will take place in front of the Apollo 8 spacecraft on the 35th anniversary of their flight.

“Capt. Jim Lovell is a genuine American hero and I am proud to have him here with us today to re-enact one of the most historic broadcasts of our time,” said Quinn. “If only for one moment, the hopes and dreams of every American were lifted out of the gripping dilemmas here on Earth—the Vietnam War, the assassinations and riots.”

Reading the part of lunar module pilot William Anders will be Blake Sercye, a senior at Fenwick High School from Chicago’s West Side.Sercye – national champion of the Joseph S. Rumbaugh Historical Orations Contest – is an AP scholar and National Honors Society member, gospel choir president and a Kairos retreat leader.

Kelsey Mullen – an eighth grader from Ascension High School who came up with the idea to send care packages to troops overseas – will read the part of Mission Commander Frank Borman who delivered the third excerpt from Genesis. Mullen - school vice president – also organized fundraisers following the September 11th attacks, donating $700 to the Red Cross and New York Firefighters Fund and raising $1,400 for the September 11 Orphans Fund.

Also attending are Eagle Scout Craig Reinert, of Troop 57 in Aurora, who is gathering care packages with the VFW in Batavia to ship to the troops in Iraq, and members of the four military families. Brenda Robinzine, whose husband was a Naval reservist mobilized after September 11, will sing the National Anthem and “God Bless America.”

Quinn and Capt. Lovell recently joined up to salute more than 400 Naval reservists returning home from active duty overseas.Capt. Lovell will also speak on behalf of the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund, saying that “the need for the Military Family Relief Fund is greater than ever,” at the ceremony.

“We’re honored that Capt. Lovell is promoting the Military Family Relief Fund to assist today’s heroes: the citizen

soldiers on the frontlines and their families on the homefront,” said Quinn. Quinn went on to say that he has established a

During his NASA career, Capt. Lovell’s accomplishments included being the pilot on the history-making Gemini 7 flight in 1965, Command Module Pilot and Navigator on Apollo 8, where he and fellow crewman were the first humans to leave earth’s gravitational influence and orbit the moon and the perilous “Houston…we’ve got a problem” Apollo 13 mission, which was adapted into a two-time Academy Award-winning movie with Capt. Lovell’s role played by Tom Hanks.

Capt. Lovell is the winner of the Presidential Medal for Freedom, NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, two Navy Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and was a member of the prestigious Golden Eagles.